Reviews

"Great shopping spot without overwhelming gentrification"

With most of Brooklyn, you feel like you're fighting the effects of gentrification every time you try a new neighbourhood. Somehow, despite its length, the area around Kings Highway seems to maintain an 'old world' feel in the midst of the development all around it. If you're lucky enough to live near the west end, you'll find hundreds of shops, most local to the area to pick and choose from. A great way to get your fill of retail therapy without having to venture into Manhattan.

"A nice and decent street."

The street has a decent ethnic look. Every nook and corner of this street gives a feeling of traditional cultures. Though this is a street in New York, it has an essence of Russia at some part of it. You will find many people talking Russian, especially among the Jewish population. For a snack purpose, I preferred the Mc Donald’s over other fast food joints. I had been so many times to Mc Donald’s and so much used to food there, that I could not help my self to other available options. Transport here will give you a comfortable feel on your trip. Whatever may be the buses and trains were not congested at all, could have been since the day was a Sunday. New taste added to my tongue was from the Kings Highway grill. Chicken Lula kebab was appetizing.

"Classic old-style immigrant Brooklyn"

Kings Highway is a very long street that runs through several different neighborhoods. The area with which I'm most familiar is between Nostrand Ave and Ocean Parkway. This neighborhood is mostly working class and very ethnically diverse. There is a large Orthodox Jewish population as well as a huge number of immigrants from former Soviet states including places like Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia. The area is home to tons of businesses where Russian is spoken as a first language, and English only secondary or not at all. You can find some great food and friendly people in many of these establishments, even if you are not of Eastern European descent and do not speak the language. Food is abundant but not high-class. You'll find lots of take-out and fast food here, but you do have many options -- Chinese, Turkish, bagels, McDonalds, etc. In addition, you will find lots of retail bargain stores here. There are dollar stores and discount stores, plus just regular shops that offer quality goods of all kinds at good prices. Public transit here is fabulous -- several bus lines and the B and Q trains for a fast ride to Manhatten or Brighton Beach. On the downside, Kings Highway and the surrounding streets are not particularly clean. Litter seems to be a constant problem. Also, nightlife is lacking in this area. There are a few bars, but none very interesting, more like the neighborhood place where you go for a beer now and then just because it's nearby. Altogether, I love this area for the generally good rents, easy public transit, and great bargains and food, despite its flaws. This area has not been gentrified at all, and is still pretty much exactly like it was 30 years ago. Compared with other more trendy neighborhoods, it may not be as pretty, but it feels like real Brooklyn to me.